


Cosmic Damage

by orphan_account



Category: Night at the Museum (2006 2009)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Soulmate AU, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-12 01:03:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3338303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Getting a soul mark is like getting in your first fist fight: painful, sometimes bloody, a source of pride for most, and completely unwanted by others. Soulmate AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cosmic Damage

Octavius stood in front of the small compact mirror, turning this way and that, examining the red mark on his back. He frowned, and pressed it, watching the small black marks flex between his shoulderblades. So this was what all the excitement was about. A rash, with ink spots that slowly mapped out and formed the name of your soul mate. Over the course of a few weeks, a number of museum exhibits had began to develop them. It was not the normal sequence of events that lead to this - he had spoken to Nicky and Larry about the soul mark business, and it should’ve happened during puberty.

Larry supposed that since the Tablet had been in use for over fifteen years at that point, it was due a puberty, and they were all lucky they didn’t get acne instead.

Jedediah had not shut up about soul marks ever since the first one appeared on Sacagawea almost a month ago. He proclaimed that it was Manifest Destiny, and used every opportunity to muck in and help out with everyone else’s soul mark problems. Octavius had originally not cared much for them at the beginning, being far too busy drilling his men to be messing around with soul business, but Jedediah’s enthusiasm for the subject had seeped over into him, and now he was rather anxious to find out his due fate.

Of course, it had not all been smooth sailing for everyone with soul marks. Sacagawea had ended up with Teddy, and Teddy with her, as expected, and they were both very happy. But many of his own Roman guards had ended up with wives of other Roman guards, or had the names of people who had no desire to associate with them at all (and in many cases, Octavius did not blame them). There had been a lot of infighting and moving amongst the battalions the past few weeks, which was stressful enough. Jedediah had suggested one night, after watching several Youtube videos intending to unwind the taught-with-stress Octavius, that “he let Destiny take it’s course”.  

If Octavius didn’t love him so much, he would’ve pushed him off the desk.

“Come on, Toga Boy! Let’s go for a drive!” Jedediah’s voice seeped through the closed door of his room, followed by a quick succession of knocks. Octavius heart leapt a little in surprise - all the anxiety about the mark had made him forget that he was meant to meet with Jedediah for a drive around the museum. They did that a lot, recently, just driving and chatting in the front seat of the RC car. Jedediah often used it as a way to keep tabs on soul mate business, but Octavius just liked being in his company.

Octavius grabbed his armour and dressed quic, wincing as the heavy metal cut into the mark. Jedediah probably wouldn’t mind if Octavius went sans armour for the day, but Octavius did. Jedediah was important to him, and he always wanted to look his best around him. His... crush on the man did not help matters. The mark twinged as he bent over and grabbed his sword, preparing himself to face the night.

He didn’t really want a soul mate, but if it were Jedediah… he could make an exception.

BREAK

The car was parked near the front desk today - Larry had moved it after small children had used it as a football in the diorama room. Octavius and Jedediah ran through the halls to get to it, but stopped short for a few moments. They were not the only ones at the main desk, it seemed - Larry was sat on the desk next to his son. Larry seemed to be listening with concern to something Nicky was saying

“...Mom left ‘cause you weren’t the name on her mark.” Nicky sounded frustrated to Octavius’ ears. “I don’t want that to happen to me. It’s not fair on anyone.”

“What happened with your Mom and I was… unfortunate, but it’s rare.” Larry replied trying to catch Nicky’s eye, but the teen was purposely avoiding his gaze. “Nicky…most people are happy when they find their soul mate. Don’t you want to be happy?”

“I am happy, Dad. My friends at school, these guys at the museum, my family… You all make me happy. I don’t want to go on a wild goose chase looking for a name that turned up when I was sixteen.”

Larry sighed, before mussing his son’s hair. Nicky tried to squirm away, to no avail. “It’s your choice, son. But you’re not getting a tattoo over it until you’re older.”

“Da-ad…” Nicky whined, and Larry laughed.

“I have to get back to my rounds, see where everyone is. See you later.”

They climbed up the rope to reach the desk just as Larry walked away to rejoin the rest of tonight’s patrol. They found the desk surface covered by a sea of permanent markers of all colours, but there was no paper in sight. Instead, a canvas of tribal designs covered a large section of Nicky’s forearm, complete with intricate knots and spirals. Octavius let out a low whistle.

“You’re quite the artist, young Mr Daley.” Octavius commented. Nicky jumped, before looking back at the two small men with a sheepish expression.

“Octavius, Jed! I thought you two would be driving the car right about now.”

“We were going to,” Jed replied, sitting down on a nearby eraser. “but we heard a commotion in here and thought we’d come take a looksie. What’s going on?”

Nicky looked down and fiddled with one of the pens. “My soul mark’s coming through.” he muttered quietly.

“Your soul mark’s come through? That’s great!” Jedediah patted his arm in congratulations. Octavius frowned, sensing the discontent within the boy.

“You seem… quite upset about it.” Octavius remarked carefully. “Is the pain bad?”

“No, it’s just the normal burning. I just…” Nicky fell silent again, and fiddled some more with his pen. “I don’t want to know who it is.”

Jedediah sucked in a sharp breath. “That’s a mighty big thing you’re saying there. You sure you’re not just scared, or anxious?”

“No… I really do not want to know who it is. I don’t want some poxy ink pattern telling me who to be with. I don’t want something this important to be out of my control.”

“That’s understandable.” Octavius absentmindedly rubbed the burning skin on his back. Jedediah looked between the two of them with a frown on his face.

“But there ain’t no fooling Destiny, boy.” he said. “Sometimes you just gotta make the best of a bad situation.”

“I’m not trying to. I just… I’m just putting it off for a bit. I’m not ready to have that kind of decision handed to me. Or maybe it’s actually my destiny to ignore this thing.” Nicky added a few more scribbles to his arms. “Do you want to add something Latin, Octavius?” he asked. “I think there’s a smaller pen around here somewhere…”

The boy looked around him, before picking up a relatively light pen that Octavius could carry without toppling over backwards. Octavius got to work immediately, ignoring the slightly uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding them. Jedediah watched him write, but his mind was clearly elsewhere.

A clatter sounded from the hallway, and Ahk suddenly rushed out of one of the hallways. “Nicky, I don’t suppose you know where Larry is?” he asked in a breathless huff.

“Err… He went on patrol - I think he’s looking out for the new exhibits that might get lost.”

“But what’s the rush, Ahkmenrah?” Octavius asked, putting down the pen and turning towards him.

“Yeah, hang around here for a bit.” Jedediah patted the desk invitingly. “We were just discussing soul marks. You got yours first out of all of us, right? What’s the name you got?”

“I’d rather not say....” Ahk looked distinctly uncomfortable, and he fiddled with his tunic corner. “It would not be possible for us to be…”

“Really?” Jedediah asked, looking at him speculatively. “Do you know the guy? Do you not like him or something?”

Larry flushed a little. “It’s not that, it’s just I… The guy on my mark is a bit too… alive for my liking.”

“Oh. Sorry to hear that, Ahk.”

Akh waved off his concern. “It’s fine. I’m alright with it. I’d… I’d best help Larry with the rounds. Need to make sure none of the cavemen have made it outside.”

None of the cavemen had ventured outside for several months now, and Ahk wasn’t due on patrol until tomorrow, but no-one brought that fact up when Ahk left. Nicky went back to drawing on his forearm, now scribbling with a frustrated air. Jedediah looked to Octavius, who shrugged.

“Shall we drive?”

BREAK

The Butterfly Room was empty when they arrived, which was a miracle in itself since it had become a retreat of sorts for the exhibits who were lucky to find their soul mates in the museum already. Jedediah pulled the car up by the roots of a small tree, and got out, leaning casually against the car bonnet. Octavius joined him, his shoulder a comfortable weight against Jedediah’s as they both looked up and watched the ever moving canopy of leaves and butterfly wings.

“What did you write on Nicky’s arm?” Jedediah asked after a little while.

“Dona fortunae non semper emendat. The gifts of fate do not always benefit us.”

“Hmm. Fitting, I suppose. Nicky sure don’t think he’s gonna get any benefit from it. And Ahk’s little gift hasn’t given him any benefit, has it? He’s not looked himself ever since it turned up.”

“I’m not surprised. Pretty much every exhibit and its dog know that Prince Ahkmenrah has Larry on his arm, it’s not hard to tell. But the situation is… complicated, somewhat.”

“What do you mean?”

“Although Prince Ahkmenrah has Larry’s name on him, Larry’s mark doesn’t say Prince Ahkmenrah.”

“It’s doesn’t?” Jedediah asked, surprise clear in his voice. “I would’ve thought they’d have each other - they’re pretty well matched.”

“As good as they would be together, Larry’s mark is still his ex wife’s name. Which is probably why Prince Ahkmenrah won’t make any kind of move.”

“Oh. Jeez, that’s gotta be awkward.”

“Indeed.” They were silent for a time more. Jedediah was still gazing up at the canopy, but Octavius studied the man from the side. If Octavius did not know him, he would’ve thought that Jedediah looked worried about something. Bet Jedediah did not worry about anything much - he would much rather dive into a situation and hope for the best. He didn’t even seem that worried when Kahmunrah locked him in that hourglass and left him to die.

“You haven’t gotten yours yet, I take it?” Octavius softly broke the silence. Jedediah twitched a little, evidently not expecting the question.

“...No.” There was a little hesitancy in Jedediah’s voice, but he soon hid it with brash words. “Yours is coming through though - you haven’t stopped rubbing your back since you got up!”.

Octavius self consciously rubbed his back, caught himself, and put his hands back down. Jedediah laughed, and he scowled back at him. “It’s not my fault it’s sore.” Octavius grumbled. “My armour rubs against it.”

“You wear armour over it?”

“I can’t exactly not. I’m a general - I must be dressed appropriately at all times.”

“‘Dressed appropriately all times’, my ass.” Jedediah mocked, grinning at him. “I’m pretty sure your men won’t mind if you went a day without it - you bathe with thirty of them a day, there’s nothing they haven’t seen before.”

“That’s- that’s different!” Octavius spluttered indignitaly. “And anyway, it’s not that bad.”

“Sure it is. That’s why you’ve been rubbing it all day. Now, how about you take that armour off, and let Old Jedediah see what’s bothering it.”

“I’m not sure that would be wise-”

“Would you rather Larry do it? Cause I’ll tell him if that chestplate doesn’t come off right now.” Jedediah started undoing one of the clasps. Octavius sighed, knowing the man would not stop now he was determined to see the damage. He removed his helmet and his cloak and turned around, allowing Jedediah to pull off the chest plate and undo the back buttons of his tunic. He waited for Jedediah to assess the damage, waiting for the “Don’t be such a baby,” comment, or something along those lines.

“Jedediah?” he finally asked, after several moments of silence.

“It’s blistering, man. All read and swollen and warm. How you’re putting up with your armour on this thing...” Jedediah hand ghosted along the damaged flesh almost reverently, fingers and thumbs carefully tracing the raised marks. Octavius tensed, the soft, fleeting touches causing a wave of warmth to flood his body, and he could feel a flush creeping up the back of his neck.

Jedediah, getting the wrong idea, immediately pulled his hand back a little. “Sorry, did that hurt?”

“No… no, it was good. It was good.” Octavius unconsciously leant back into Jedediah. “Your hands are remarkably cold.”

Jedediah ran his hand across his back again, before splaying his fingers across the warm flesh. Octavius hissed in response, the cool palm of Jedidiah’s hand easing the soreness of the mark, and causing some quite pleasant sensations to run through him.. He could feel Jedidiah’s breath catch against his neck, and an echo of an almost-heartbeat from Jedediah’s hand. Feeling a little brave, Octavius pushed back against the hand, stepping firmly into Jedediah’s personal space. Jedediah seemed to freeze at the action, but he relaxed slowly, and snaked his free hand around Octavius’ waist. Jedediah pulled him close, resting his chin on the bare shoulder.

“Good?” Jedediah murmured, his voice a little lower than it had been before.

“Good.” Octavius replied, a little hesitantly. “Jedediah…”

“Mmm?”

“I…”

“Say it, Octavius.” Jedediah murmured against his shoulder.

“I hope to the gods it’s you.”

“Oh, boy…” Jedediah turned him around and pulled him close. The look of utter need on Jedediah’s face was enough to make any Roman’s knees weak. Their breaths mingled for a few still moments, before Octavius leant forward and captured Jedediah’s lips with his.

The kiss was gentle, but it was if the world had stopped spinning for those few moments. The heady scent of pollen and Jedediah’s musk filled Octavius’ senses like a drug, driving him to push himself closer. Jedediah pulled Octavius against his, his hands going up Octavius’ neck and burying themselves in his short brown hair. They broke apart only when the need for air became so great, but almost as soon as they did so, Jedediah began to shake his head and back away.

“No.” he said softly. “No, we can’t do this. We can’t.”

He pulled away, and Octavius felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. “What, why? Jedediah, did my mark say something? What is it?”

“No, your mark doesn’t say anything yet. But....what if it’s not me? What if my mark turns out not to be you? I… There ain’t no way I could stay if I knew you were destined to be with someone else.”

“It can’t be anyone else.” Octavius didn’t even sound convinced. Jedediah gave him a look, and Octavius flushed. “It… It can’t! Jedediah, the man I love is you! It has to be-”

“Octavius, stop making things more difficult!”

“You don’t feel the same way?

“Of course I feel the same way!”

“Why then? Isn’t what I feel enough?”

“It is enough! But if I’m not your soul mate, who’s to say you won’t feel more strongly about them than me? You’ll always wonder about them, their name will always be on your body. I… can’t deal with that. I can’t be with you, knowing that at any moment someone else could turn up and whisk you away.” Jedediah leant against the bonnet of the car and sighed heavily. “I can’t ignore Manifest Destiny, you understand?”

“Jedediah…” Octavius reached out for him, but stopped halfway, and let his hand drop back to his side. “Destiny, to us Romans, is decided on by the way the Parsae holds the strings. But like all living things, they can make… mistakes.”

Jedediah snorted. “Mistakes? There ain’t no mistakes in Manifest Destiny.”

“Do you honestly believe that?” Jedidiah was silent for several moments, as he stared pensively at the small butterflies fluttering near the ground.

“No…” Jedediah answered so quietly that Octavius thought he hadn’t answered for a moment. “But if Manifest Destiny ain’t always right, then what have I been fighting for? Exploring America, my men dying in the desert, expanding borders… what does it all stand for if the thing we believe in most is not true?”

Octavius had no reply.

BREAK

Damn the man!

Octavius paced around his boxy room back at the Roman Diorama. He had left Jedediah in the Butterfly room, giving himself some time to cool off and think before acting again. But it did not help - even his men had scattered after seeing the frustrated mood he was in. To find that Jedediah felt the same way, that had been incredibly uplifting. But Jedediah put more faith into Fate than into his own feelings, and that was just aggravating.

Octavius ripped his cloak from his shoulders, and glared balefully at the reddened flesh in the compact mirror. If only soul marks did not exist! If only everyone had the freedom to choose their own soul mates without Destiny clouding their decisions, then this would not be a problem. Jedediah and he would be together and there wouldn’t be anything standing in their way. It was strange how a few marks could change the course of someone’s life so drastically, and yet here he stood, allowing some intangible cosmic power to tear him away from the man he loved.

Damn the mark!

The compact shattered upon contact as Octavius lashed out and hit it with his helmet. He watched the glass fall to the floor with a defeated air about him. It was no use. No matter how many times Octavius told Jedediah he didn’t care for soul mates, the man would obstinately refuse to believe him. The soul marks had made Jedediah insecure, and he seemed to believe that Octavius would leave him for a silly name, despite them being best friends for several years. It was maddening. He needed a way to prove to the man that he was serious, that he wasn’t going to leave on the whim of Destiny.

An idea slowly formed in his head as he toed at the shards of glass on the floor. He thought on the idea, then with a definite turn, he walked out the door. Pausing only for a few moments to speak with his men, he walked purposefully back towards the Butterfly Room.

No cosmic power was going to get the better of him.

BREAK

“Jedediah!”

The Butterfly room was still as quiet as it had been when Octavius had left it. The butterflies flew softly around the room. The heavy pollen weighed down the air.The cowboy, still leaning against the bonnet of the car, didn’t even turn around to acknowledge him. Octavius walked over to him and placed a hand on his arm. Jedediah shrugged it off irritably.

“Has the name come through yet?” Jedediah asked flippantly, as if he did not give a damn for the answer. Octavius had half a mind to leave him to his brooding, but he did not leave. Jedediah had to know his decision. He had to know where he now stood.

“Jedediah, about the mark… I think you should be the to know…”

“What?” Jedediah was trying very hard to look like the cool machismo man, but Octavius could see the vulnerability underneath the facade. It was this that told him that he had made the right decision.

“Jedediah… I’m getting it covered. I’m not going to know who it is.”

There was a brief pause as Jedediah digested his words, before he whirled around, and openly gaped at him.  “Covered?” he asked faintly.

“Yes.”

“But- but don’t you want to find out who it is?!”

“No.” Jedediah gaped at him some more, before snapping his mouth shut, and turning his back away.

“Why?” he asked quietly. He could not hide the slight tremble in his voice. “You frightened of finding out? You got commitment issues, boy?

“I don’t care who it is.” Octavius stepped forward, and took Jedediah’s hands in his own. “Jedediah… I know you trust Destiny to take you to the right places, but I don’t. I want to choose who I want to be with. ”

“But why?! They might be your chance at happiness, man!”

“They’re not.”

“And how do you know that?!”

“Because… you make me happy. If my soul mate turns out not to be you, then I don’t want to know who it is because you are the only man I want by my side..”

“I…” Jedediah struggled with his words, before letting go of Octavius’ hands. Octavius feared for one horrible moment that he had failed to convince him, but warm hands cupped his cheeks, and he found himself being drawn into the sweetest kiss he had ever experienced.

“Aw shucks, Oct, I…” Jedediah pulled back and pressed his forehead to Octavius’, clearly struggling with an internal battle. “I… Manifest Destiny is- has been all I’ve had… I don’t know, I just-”

“Shh.” Octavius pressed another kiss to the pliant mouth. “It’s ok. It’ll be ok.”

“How can it be ok?” Jedediah whispered miserably. “How can we be together if Destiny wants us apart?” Octavius’ eyes widened, and he stepped back a little

“You… you know who’s on your mark.” Octavius stated quietly with a growing weight in his stomach. “You lied, and- you’ve seen it, haven’t you? And it’s not me - that’s why you sent me away- Oh heavens, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have...”

“What?!” Jedediah looked at him in confusion as he started backing away. “No- no! Don’t say sorry! It’s… my mark’s been coming through all week. I can’t see it, ‘cause it’s on my shoulder, but I can feel it.” He looked at Octavius with eyes filled with guilt. “I’m sorry Octavius, I lied because I was so… so scared of what you’d say if the name wasn’t yours- I can’t even step in front of a mirror to see it ‘cause I want it to be you so bad-”

Jedediah grabbed Octavius’ hands and pulled him back into an embrace. He kissed him again, desperate and reassuringly, full of teeth and lips and tongue and Jedediah could not remember why leaving Octavius in the first place was ever considered an option when missing this would be the result. Octavius responded with the same kind of desperation, wrapping his arms around his waist and pressing ever closer.

A dry cough caused the two to break apart. Nicky stood in the entryway, looking down on them with an amused glint in his eye. Both Jedediah and Octavius flushed under his scrutiny, but before either one of them could open their mouths and explain themselves, Nicky held his hand up, and shook his head.

“I really don’t want to know.” He looked at Octavius directly. “Octavius, your men said you wanted to talk to me?”

“Yes. You have a way of covering up soul marks, right?”

“Yeah…”

“I want you to cover up mine.”

“Yeah, sure, I can do that.” Nicky cocked his head at the little man. “You know who yours is?”

“No, it’s on my back. And I don’t want to know who it is.”

“I can do that - should be easy enough to colour. Not too small, like your arm or your finger. You ok about this, Jedediah?”

“Yeah… yeah, I am. In fact…” Jedediah stepped up and grasped Octavius’ hand. “I want mine covered too.” Nicky raised an eyebrow.

“Really, Jedediah? Mr ‘You-can’t-mess-with-destiny-boy’? Are you sure about this?”

“I’ve never been surer.” Jedediah looked over at Octavius and smiled softly. “Maybe it’s my destiny to ignore this whole ‘soul mark’ business. Find my soul mate and all that.”

Octavius smiled back. “I like that idea.”

 

 


End file.
